Wikipedia:Today's featured list/October 15, 2012
Many events considered central to our modern understanding of chemistry are also considered key discoveries in other scientific and technological fields. Chemistry is therefore often referred to as "the central science", and its history can be traced back to the earliest recorded history. Early ideas that later became incorporated into the modern science of chemistry come from two main sources. Natural philosophers, such as Aristotle and Democritus, used deductive reasoning in an attempt to explain the behavior of the world around them. Alchemists, such as Geber (pictured) and Rhazes, used experimental techniques in an attempt to extend the life or perform material conversions, such as turning base metals into gold. In the 17th century, the synthesis of the ideas of these two disciplines led to the development of a process of thinking known as the scientific method, whereby the modern science of chemistry was born. (Full list...)